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One of the key pieces to our digital identities, whether we like it or not, is our mobile phone number. You likely use it one way or another in a two-factor authentication login (you shouldn't). Thing is, as it's been demonstrated quite a few times, they can be easily hijacked in a few easy steps by malicious actors ringing up carriers' customer service representatives — many of whom are all too understanding in helping users out of what's supposedly a stressful situation. So, just how easy is it to steal someone's phone number on a prepaid network? Researchers at Princeton University say extremely so in a recently published whitepaper draft.

Yesterday, security researchers at AdaptiveMobile Security revealed the existence of a new exploit they call "Simjacker," which they say allows for remote surveillance from targeted phones (among other potential actions) using nothing more than a malicious SMS. They even claim that the exploit has been actively used over the last two years by "a highly sophisticated threat actor in multiple countries." It all sounds like a pretty big deal, and unfortunately for concerned consumers, the researchers leave plenty of unanswered questions.

Some groups on Google Fi have been saving $15 a month per person by putting data-only SIMs into their phones. By grabbing a virtual number and using it with their VoIP and web-based messaging apps — along with a little work in the APN settings — they could circumvent the base cost for voice and text service that a smartphone SIM brought. And while it might be completely acceptable to do, the carrier has sought to cut down on how many people can take advantage of what's effectively a loophole. It just introduced a new limit on how many data-only SIMs each account may have active.

Yesterday Verizon announced its intention to modify FCC restrictions placed on it a decade ago, requiring that the company explicitly not lock its phones. If its request is granted, Verizon plans on selling all phones as locked for a 60-day period. The company claims it needs to break the terms it previously agreed to so that it can fight an amalgamated but undefined fraud/criminal/boogeyman element. That's right, Verizon is spinning its plan to circumvent consumer protection rules as... a consumer protection move.

Now that Android Pie is in the rearview mirror, it's time to start obsessing over Android Q. Luckily, a leak last week revealed some positive changes like a system-wide dark mode and refined permissions. It's not all rainbows and unicorns, though. Additions to the Android source code suggest that Google will also give carriers new tools to SIM lock phones.

Back in September, the T-Mobile-owned MetroPCS was rebranded to 'Metro by T-Mobile.' Along with the name change, the carrier refreshed its available plans, which looked great on paper; $60/month gets you unlimited LTE data, 100GB of Google Drive storage, Amazon Prime, and other goodies. However, there's a new catch if you plan on switching — you'll have to pay $15 any time you put your SIM card in a new device.

Chromebooks with built-in SIM cards used to be relatively common, but they've fallen out of style in recent years. As Chromebooks become more and more functional offline, the need for always-on cellular connectivity seemingly isn't as important as it used to be. According to recent code commits, it looks like Google might be bringing back cellular support in a big way.

The US Department of Justice is investigating AT&T and Verizon for allegedly colluding with the GSMA to influence eSIM standards so as not to threaten their dominance over the US consumer market. The investigation was opened five months ago after Apple and an unnamed wireless carrier complained to the DOJ, according to Reuters.